80% of Singapore service professionals expect customer service to contribute more revenue in 2024

A report from Salesforce has found high expectations for customer service to contribute more revenue in 2024. With AI enabling greater personalised customer experiences, service teams are well-poised to maximise upselling, cross-selling and customer retention opportunities to drive revenue, the company said. 

The company recently released the new State of Service report, sharing insights from over 5,500 service professionals across 30 countries — including 100 from Singapore. The report covers the priorities, challenges, and strategies shaping customer service. It includes how service teams tap AI and data to increase revenue, efficiency, and customer satisfaction amid rising customer expectations.

According to the Singapore Business Federation’s National Business Survey, revenue growth (76%) and reducing costs (62%) were among the top priorities for business leaders this year, amid rising economic pressures and uncertainties. 

Insights for Singapore include:

Revenue generation 

The trend of viewing service as a revenue driver instead of a cost centre is accelerating, and service teams are investing in scaling up. This year: 

- Nearly eight in 10 (77%) service professionals expect more budget

- Seven in 10 (71%) service professionals expect more headcount 

AI to boost efficiencies

To scale service without sacrificing quality, professionals are increasingly turning to AI. 

- Nine in 10 service professionals are using or evaluating AI

- Nine in 10 service professionals plan to increase AI investments this year. The top three service use cases for AI: automated summaries and reports, customer-facing intelligent assistants, and service responses

- The majority of service professionals (97%) with AI say it saves them time 

Escalating demands

As customer expectations rise, service agents are feeling the squeeze. 

- Roughly two thirds (65%) of service professionals expect a higher case volume next year

- Eight in 10 service professionals (81%) say customers are more demanding than they used to be 

Data capabilities boosted 

Service professionals are stepping up their data integration efforts to fuel human agents and AI systems. 

- More than seven in 10 (72%) service professionals say better access to data from other teams would improve support 

- Nearly nine in 10 (87%) service professionals are increasing investment in data integration this year

“Service teams cannot afford to miss the moments in the overall customer journey to build stronger relationships and loyalty. Generative AI will allow agents to provide a smoother and more personalised customer service experience, freeing up time to focus on relationship building. At the same time, data and AI is enabling service teams to demonstrate their ability to drive revenue growth through greater efficiency and upsell activities,” said Gavin Barfield, CTO and VP of Solutions at Salesforce ASEAN. 

“AI is helping customer service agents be more efficient by reducing administrative tasks, which frees up time for them to focus on delivering personalised customer experiences and revenue generation. This will fundamentally shift the role of service teams within businesses from cost centres to profit centres.”

Explore

Download the State of the Service report

*Salesforce conducted a double-anonymous survey of over 5,500 service professionals between December 8, 2023, and January 22, 2024. Respondents were sourced from 30 countries and roles including service operations, service agents, mobile workers, service managers/directors, and service leadership/head of service. Additional methodology and survey demographic details can be found in the report.

ServiceNow: Customer service gaps causing Singaporeans to lose two full working days a year

Source: ServiceNow ebook, Customer Experience Intelligence Report: Addressing Singapore’s billion dollar customer service gap. A summary of the research findings. Singaporeans collectively spent over 30 M hours on hold because of customer service activities.

Singaporeans spent more than 30 million hours on hold to address a customer service complaint or issue, according to new research* by ServiceNow, the digital workflow company. The average person in Singapore spent approximately two full working days (equivalent to 16.1 hours) on hold last year, representing a loss of S$1.24 B in wages** nationwide.

Slow service solutions will see Singapore business’ operating costs increase, with employees spending an average of 4.7 working days to resolve each customer issue. According to Wee Luen Chia, MD, ServiceNow Asia, “The effect goes wider than just the individual businesses putting their customers on hold, it’s impacting Singapore’s competitiveness.”

Over a third (34%) of Singaporeans have had to resolve issues by themselves because of poor service, ServiceNow said. Customers ranked the top three frustrations with customer service as having to repeat their issues to multiple people/departments (60% of respondents); being transferred to multiple people or departments (53%), and waiting on hold (42%).

Respondents also suggested why the country is ‘stuck on hold’: 

- Staff not having any power to make decisions/resolve issues (52%)

- A lack of ownership and responsibility between different departments (48%)

- Inefficient communications within the organisations (48%)

- Customer service department is understaffed or overwhelmed (47%)

- Customer service staff not listening to me (40%)

Seven in 10 (72%) of Singaporeans have even less patience with bad service because of inflated costs; a similar number of locals (70%) think customer service is getting worse because companies are cutting costs.

One in three respondents believe that the time they spent on hold in 2023 is an increase from the previous year; over two out of five respondents (43%) believe the time it takes to resolve an issue has also increased. Another 43% of Singaporeans say their expectations of an organisation’s customer service department increased in 2023.

Seventy percent of Singaporeans also reported encountering service disruptions from key providers. On average, each Singaporean experienced two disruptions each year.

"Businesses that empower their employees and teams to collaborate quickly and transparently to resolve issues will succeed in 2024,” said Chia. 

"Frustrating wait times, little resolution and abrupt service disruption is costing Singapore its patience along with national productivity, too.”

The research also compared generational service experiences. Baby Boomers were left waiting the longest for service in Singapore, in 2023, spending an average of 5.7 days for their issue to be resolved. For younger generations, it takes around two days less on average to have their issues resolved (3.6 days).

More than half (56%) of Gen Z used self-service options more frequently over the past year to resolve issues and are less likely to speak to an agent, while 55% of Baby Boomers preferred to speak directly to a person (24% for Gen Z).

“A better customer experience starts with clearer visibility of where and why processes are currently letting customers down,” said Chia. 

“Only then can organisations invest in improving operations, to consolidate, augment, or replace the service gaps. Instead of betting on quick-fix solutions, customer experience requires a long-term commitment to building service roadmaps to progressively meet and even exceed Singaporeans’ evolving expectations.”

Good service is about being strategic around speed, empathy and transparency, ServiceNow said. Two thirds of Singaporeans think that having their issues resolved quickly is key to good customer service, with transparency and empathy frequently emerging as top themes for an exemplary customer experience: 

- Having the issue resolved quickly (67%)

- Getting through to someone quickly by phone, chat or in person (52%)

- Having an empathetic customer service agent who cares (47%)

- Being able to track progress (46%)

- Customer service agent knowing all your service details/interaction history (42%)

“Customers expect every part of a business to communicate and work together to solve their issues, fast. The research shows that customers attribute an organisation’s inability to solve issues to business siloes and disempowered teams,” said Chia. 

“To break this downward spiral and earn back trust, customer service needs to enable the service teams to do their best work. Routing the right people to the right process, at the right time will solve the customer’s issue fast - this is where automation and AI technologies can deliver their best work in the service of employees and also for customers." 

Explore

Read more about the research at https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/resource-center/ebook/ebk-customer-experience-intelligence-report.pdf (PDF)

*One thousand and thirty Singaporeans aged 18 and above took part in ServiceNow’s study, conducted by Lonergan Research in early 2024, to assess the state of service in Singapore within the past year.

**S$1.24 B estimated loss in wages was calculated at a median hourly rate of S$28.38 multiplied by the total average number of hours spent by workers resolving issues (17.9), multiplied by working population.

Malaysia-Singapore drone delivery services to launch this year

Aerodyne Group, a drone-based enterprise solutions provider headquartered in Malaysia, and DroneDash Technologies, a Singapore-based air mobility company, have announced their cross-border drone delivery services between Malaysia and Singapore.

Designed for critical deliveries such as urgent documents, high-value electronics, medical supplies, and perishable foods, the service features a navigation system crafted from satellite communications with dual-city 5G roaming, real-time tracking and advanced security protocols.

The drones used for the service can carry up to 30 kg and achieve speeds of 150 km/h within a four-hour flight span. The initiative will initially focus on establishing delivery routes from Singapore to Johor Bahru and Iskandar Malaysia, with commercial operations starting in Q324.

“Organisations in the logistics, cargo delivery and freight services sector stand to gain a double-digit percentage improvement in overall productivity and cost. Drone deliveries are also beneficial for the environment with emissions and carbon footprint being reduced by up to 100% and 80% respectively,” said Paul Yam, CEO of DroneDash.

Source: Aerodyne Group and DroneDash Technologies. A DroneDash drone in action.

“Drone deliveries are transforming the speed and reach of logistics operations, and they can help reach remote areas where traditional air and sea freight are unable to access. They also add to the creation of a revitalised and vibrant logistic sector through job creation in operating and maintaining the drones.”

“With the formation of the recent Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), we are proud to play a part in strengthening economic connectivity between the two regions,” said Mudzakkir Hatta, CEO of Aerodyne.

“We look forward to venturing beyond the state of Johor with increased shipments to other parts of Malaysia, forging a longstanding trade cooperation with the two partnering nations.”

Cross-disciplinary discussions redefine the service economy at KODW 2021

Source: HKDC. Guests at the opening ceremony for KODW 2021 included (from left) Lofai Lo, Director and GM, ViuTV; Dr Lay Lian Ong, Principal, Hong Kong Design Institute & Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education; Victor Tsang, Head of Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Professor Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre; guest of honour The Honourable Edward Yau, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Victor Lo, Chairman, KODW Steering Committee of Hong Kong Design Centre; Professor Kun-Pyo Lee, Dean of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design, and Dr Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre.

Over 50 global entrepreneurs and industry experts were tapped to inspire audiences during Knowledge of Design Week (KODW) 2021, a week-long event in June. Themed Reimagining Service Economy, the annual event is organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) and Institute of Design Knowledge (IDK), co-organised by Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design (PolyU Design), together with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the lead sponsor.

At the Innovation for Future Service forum Clive Grinyer, Head of Service Design, Royal College of Art (UK) and one of the UK's leading service design consultants, defined service design: “That's what we call service design: we put the human at the centre – not the technology, not the business.” On what and who to design for, he said, “Let's design what is preferable, not just possible. Let's design for people, old and young.”

Tim Stock, the Co-founder & Managing Partner of US-based scenarioDNA and co-inventor of a patented methodology of culture mapping added, “We need to better examine the relationship between feasibility and desirability.”

Explore:

Those who missed the live simulcast can register online to revisit the on-demand sessions free, with unlimited access for 2 weeks.

Giftano enhances gifting experience

Giftano, an online gifting marketplace in Singapore, has launched a 360 online gifting e-shop that provides a full gifting experience for both gift-giver and recipient. Giftano Gifts, featuring physical gifts, joins the existing Giftano Gift Cards range.

Giftano now offers online personalised service throughout the gifting process. To ensure customers get the best online user experience in time for Christmas, Giftano has enhanced its platform with a more intuitive search engine and added functionality to support custom gift cards and choice of delivery mode. Customers are recommended gift ideas by Giftano’s newly enhanced search function. Purchases can be made with just a click, packaged and accompanied by a personalised physical greeting card, and then sent to the recipient, some even on the same day.

Over 1,000 gift ideas are available from 150+ merchants on the platform. Dining experiences are available for restaurants like NOX - Dine in the Dark or Michelin Star restaurants such as Burnt Ends & Alma by Juan Amador. There are terrarium and leather craft workshops, and gift cards galore from retailers such as TANGS, Mothercare, Nike, and Best Denki. Giftano Gifts include flowers, gift hampers, personalised accessories, jewellery, and electronics.

Jesper Gustafsson, Founder & CEO of Giftano said, “The new normal reaffirmed the huge demand for online gifting. Customers were routinely requesting that gifts be purchased online for friends and family, and have it prepared as a proper gift with all the trimmings, and then delivered as such. With this new e-shop, Giftano now provides this entire gifting flow, as a one-stop shop for all gifting needs.”

A recent Giftano Gift Card survey found that 67% of the respondents will be buying more physical gifts online for the festive season in 2020 compared to 2019. Furthermore, 55% stated that when purchasing physical gifts online, they will have them shipped directly to the recipients. The survey also examined why customers want to shop for gifts online. Gift-givers were looking for a way to give a proper gift even when they are unable to meet the recipient in person, and want packaging, delivery and greeting cards all taken care of.

The demand for gift cards has also been increasing throughout 2020; 45% said they will buy more gift cards as festive 2020 gifts compared to previous year. The most popular gift cards are for experiences, fine dining and retail, and the appreciation of getting a gift card was rated 8 out of 10.

National Bank of Kuwait offers automated payroll services

Source: NBK website. Salary Portal services
include remote transfer of salary.

The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has introduced a salary portal to help business owners pay salaries and comply with all Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor reporting requirements easily.

“NBK is always looking for simple and convenient solutions to make banking easier and more efficient for our customers,” said Faisal Al-Fulaij, Deputy Head of Business Banking National Bank of Kuwait, “We take a lot of time to know our customers’ needs and create innovative, easy-to-use products to that end.”

With the NBK Salary Portal companies can transfer monthly allowances or salaries each month remotely. The salary portal then processes the salaries and creates a record of the payments which is then automatically sent to the Social Affairs and Labor Ministry of Kuwait. This simplifies compliance with government regulations and also creates an audit trail while reducing errors or inconsistencies. NBK charges KD1 per salary for the service.

NBK has 13 dedicated business banking hubs around the country including at the Head Office, Surra, Shuwaikh, Al Tadamoun, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Jabriya, Arraya Tower 2 (fifth floor), Fintas, Salwa, Sharq, Al Ghazzali, Ras Salmiya and Hawally. The hubs are staffed with relationship officers dedicated to serving the needs of business banking clients. NBK Business Banking also offers point of sale, business credit cards, online banking, insurance, business loans, letters of credit and guarantee and local bill services.

New book combines services management and marketing best practices with the latest research

Source: NUS. Cover, Winning in Service Markets.

Tried and tested services management strategies backed by cutting-edge academic research are now available in Winning in Service Markets, a book by Professor Jochen Wirtz, National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Vice Dean (Graduate Studies) and Professor of Marketing.

Professor Wirtz  has adapted his globally leading textbook – Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy (8th edition) for industry practitioners. Targeted towards service organisations, the new publication provides comprehensive coverage of the latest academic research and its implications for best-practice service management and marketing across multiple services sector industries.

The secret to winning in service markets is summarised into a five-part framework for readers. With the whole service-profit chain in mind, organisations can cultivate a shared service climate, culture and leadership by:

1. Understanding the power of design and packages of “intangible” benefits and products for employees;

2. Investing in high quality service operations and customer information management processes;

3. Grooming a pool of motivated and competent frontline employees;

4. Building and maintaining a loyal and profitable customer base; and

5. Developing and implementing a coherent service strategy to transform assets into improved business performance.

“Consumers today are more knowledgeable and sophisticated than ever before. Service organisations need to keep up by creating memorable customer service experiences in order to build brand loyalty,” says Professor Wirtz. “Through this book, I hope to help transform the service sector into one that creates value for both customers and employees whilst balancing profitability and growth.”

Jan Swartz, President, Princess Cruises, called the publication a “highly practical book” that is recommended for everyone working in a service organisation. She said, “I love the comprehensive coverage of services marketing and rigour. Also, it is easy to read and full of interesting, best practice examples.”

Professor Wirtz is recognised globally for his excellence in teaching and research with over 40 awards. He holds a Ph.D. in services marketing from the London Business School and his research has been published in some 100 academic journal articles and 130 conference presentations. He has published over 10 books and is an active management consultant in the areas of strategy, business development and customer feedback systems. 

Interested?

Winning in Service Markets is published by World Scientific Publishing and is available for purchase on Amazon and leading book stores. The Kindle version costs US$23.49. Key chapters are also available as standalone publications in e-book and paperback form. Read the abstract

HBMSU launches new diplomas for customer service and institutional excellence

• New 7-Star Customer Service Diploma to make UAE a global example of an excellent provider of government service
• The 4th generation for institutional excellence Diploma supports national efforts to upgrade government system and promote innovation

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has launched a 7-Star Customer Service Diploma and a 4th generation for institutional excellence Diploma in line with its commitment to promote the UAE’s leadership in expediting government services and achieving highest customer satisfaction and happiness. The two programmes have received Pearson Assured Status from Pearson.

The 7-Star Customer Service Diploma is designed for customer service representatives, employees, quality and organisational excellence teams of government entities. It complements the Star Rating System launched following the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE VP and PM and Ruler of Dubai, to raise government service efficiency according to the highest global standards. Part of its role is to help public entities pursue the 4th generation for institutional excellence system, a guide for all UAE government excellence programmes.

The unique programme will enhance the capabilities of local government employees especially in terms of providing ‘7-star services’ as part of the goal of UAE Vision 2021 to catapult the country into the ranks of the world’s most developed nations. It comprises five training modules on the basic rules, methods and trends of modern management, including the best ways to deliver high-quality customer service according to standards as well as effective strategies to harness the power of modern technology to attain improved customer experience, satisfaction and happiness.

The 4th generation for institutional excellence Diploma focuses on main aspects of the 4th generation for institutional excellence system implemented to level up government services as well as instill innovation and highest standard of excellence in public services. The system focuses on three areas: the realisation of the UAE’s vision, innovation and empowerment to attain satisfaction in the use of government services, as well as continuous learning and development.

Dr Mansoor Al Awar, HBMSU Chancellor, said: “The new programmes reflect the university’s commitment to the UAE’s march towards national prosperity driven by excellence. We also support the country’s pioneering efforts to become the world’s first government to establish approved benchmarks for public services.

“HBMSU provides continuous learning and professional development in various influential areas of leadership, government excellence, entrepreneurship and change management, among others, to help our learners succeed. The two new programmes, the latest affirmation of this commitment, are being offered under the guidance of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU, in our bid to reshape the future of teaching and learning by using innovative methods. These advanced tools support the country’s aspirations to produce a generation capable of leading the emirates into a future where the country sets the bar high in terms of delivery of government services and government excellence."

The programmes support smart education initiatives that include three phases, namely the ‘awareness’ stage based on self-learning; the ‘application’ stage featuring hands-on training; and the ‘follow-up’ stage in which support and guidance using virtual tools are given to sustain the gains. During the three stages, the learners have an opportunity to study the training materials under the supervision of an elite group of experts and trainers as well as communicate with their fellow learners in an interactive environment where exchange, transfer and enrichment of knowledge are ensured.

The 7-Star Customer Service Diploma programme consists of five modules, namely Introduction to Customer Service, Professionalism and Excellence in Identifying and Dealing with Customers, Call Center Management, Time Management and Government Services Strategies, as well as The 4th generation for institutional excellence System and 7-Star Service Program. The sessions for the 7-Star Customer Service Diploma will run for 19 days, six hours per day. It includes one day for a graduation project. The training starts in November of this year.

The 4th generation for institutional excellence Diploma is based on nine tracks, the National Agenda and Achievement of UAE Vision and Results-Orientation, Smart Government and Management of Services, Cities and Smart Communities, Looking to the Future and Sustainable Competitiveness, Innovation Management and Achieving Leadership, Major tasks (design, implementation and operations), Seven-Star Services and Management of the Service Centers, Human Capital Management, Properties and Resources Management, and Corporate Governance. The course will be 28 days long, six hours a day, including one day for a graduation project. global startup space. The MOSTI Commercialisation Year conference will run parallel to the GEC. The Global Startup Award ceremony will be held on 3 November.

Food service trends in Australia include limited edition experiences

Australians’ expectations regarding the dining experience continued to evolve in 2015, with consumers becoming increasingly enthusiastic foodies and demanding new culinary experiences. As a response to this trend food service operators continued to innovate and experiment with formats, menus and concepts, says Euromonitor in a blog post.

The research firm describes Hotel Marriott in Melbourne's launch of the “Table for 12” dining concept in in October 2015, which offered customers the opportunity to enjoy a four-course degustation menu for only 12 people. The menu is available only one evening a week, thus reinforcing the uniqueness of the experience.

Demand for novelty gastronomic experiences has also supported the emergence of popup restaurants. Although popup stores are not new to Australia, these gained relevance in the food service industry in 2015, with names like US burger chain In-N-Out Burger and Copenhagen’s Noma participating. Other industry players such as The Keystone Group and Merivale Group, owners of multiple restaurants, have also created spaces that allow them to have temporary restaurants throughout the year, Euromonitor noted. For example, Merivale’s Work in Progress location hosted a number of popup restaurants during the year, including Chef Patrick Friesen’s fried chicken and noodle bar and Chef Eric Koh’s dim-sum restaurant. Similarly, Keystone Group's popup space with Barbarello’s Pizza & Arcade concept was open from June to September 2015.
 
Euromonitor International expects to see additional investment in food menus and outlet formats as well as further experimentation of food concepts that can support demand for unique and adventurous food experiences. With popup restaurants representing a great opportunity for operators to test products and business concepts while promoting their businesses, the concept is expected to continue in Australia. The company also forecasts that chains will also offer innovation, with more chain operators expected to follow initiatives such as “Create your Taste” and The Corner café by McDonalds.

Malaysia Airlines begins self service journey

Malaysia Airlines has implemented self-print baggage tags for all* domestic and international flights to make the travel experience for customers faster and more efficient. Starting 18 August 2016, passengers with economy class tickets will need to print the baggage tags at check-in kiosks located around the departure level of Kuala Lumpur International Airport and self-tag their bags before proceeding to the baggage drop counter.

With the new system, the check-in process from kiosks to baggage drop counters is expected to be significantly shorter. Passengers who check-in via web and mobile will also need to print their baggage tags at the 50 kiosks available before proceeding to the baggage drop counter. There will be instructions on the tag and standees around to educate passengers on the process. A maximum of two printed baggage tags per passenger is allowed at the kiosk.

Malaysia Airlines’ Economy Class passengers are allowed to check in a maximum of two pieces of baggage weighing 30kg in total. Passengers are to ensure that they do not pack any dangerous goods in their check-in luggage such as lithium batteries, e-cigarettes and power banks.

The move is in line with Malaysia Airlines’ strategy to leverage on technology in order to simplify and reduce the time for check in. This is the first phase before the airline moves to introduce self-baggage drop in Q416. 

*Passengers travelling to Dhaka and Kathmandu will need to check in at dedicated counters on row A17 and A18 until further notice.

Dubai RTA details timings for transport services during Eid al Fitr holiday

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the timings of its services during the Eid al-Fitr holidays, covering customer service centres, car parks, public buses, Dubai Metro & Tram services, marine transit, driving institutes, as well as vehicles testing & registration centres.

Source: RTA. Al Marri.

Moaza Al Marri, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, RTA Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector, said: “Customer Service Centers will be off-duty the during Eid al-Fitr holiday from Sunday 3rd July 2016 and will resume duty on Sunday 10 July 2016. All paid parking zones in Dubai will be free of charge except for the parking lots of the Fish Market and the Multi-level Parking terminal starting from Sunday 3rd July, and fees will be activated on Saturday 9 July."

Al Marri added that trains will be running almost 24 hours during the holidays. 

Red Line stations

Tuesday 5 July: 5.30am to 11.59pm.

Wednesday 6 July: 12am to 2am; 5.50am to 11.59pm.

Thursday 7 July: 12am to 2am; 5.30am to 11.59pm.

Friday 8 July: 12am to 2am; 10am to 11.59pm.

Saturday 9 July: 12am to 2am.

Green Line stations

5 July:  5.50am to 11.59pm

6, 7 July: 12am to 2am; 5.50am to 11.59pm

8 July: 12am to 2am; 10am to 11.59pm

9 July: 12am to 2am.

The tram service will operate from 5 to 7 July from 6:30am to 1am the next day. On 8 July, the tram service will start at 9am and continue up to 1am on 9 July.

The Route C01 bus will operate around the clock. Other public buses will have varied timings:

Main bus stations, e.g. the Gold Souk

6, 7 July: 5.20am to 12 midnight (next day)

Al Ghubaiba Station; subsidiary stations, such as Al Qusais and Satwa

6, 7 July: 5am to 12 midnight (next day)

Al Quoz Industrial Area station

6, 7 July: 5.30am to 11.30pm

Jebel Ali station 

6, 7 July: 6am to 10.15pm 

Metro feeder service stations such as Rashidiya, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta, Abu Hail, Etisalat, and Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall

6, 7 July: 5.15am to 1.10am (next day)

The service timing of commercial transport and inter-city bus services will be as follows: 

Main stations, such as Ghubaiba to:

Sharjah (Jubail): 24 hours 

Abu Dhabi: 5am to 12:50am the following day

Subsidiary stations, such as Sabkha will start at 6.30am and continue to 12 midnight. 

Union Square Station: 5am to 12:30am the next day. 

Deira City Center: 6:55am to 10pm. 

Karama Station: 6:10am to 10:15pm. 

Al Ahli Club Station: 7am to 11pm. 

External stations: 

Sharjah (Al Taawon): 7am to 11:30pm.

Al Fujairah Station: 6:45am to 10:30pm.

Ajman Station: 6am to 11:30pm.

Hatta Station: 6:30am to 10:40pm.

From 5 to 7 July, water buses at Marina Stations (Marina Mall, Marina Walk, Marina Terrace, and Marina Promenade) will run from 12 noon to 12 midnight. 

Water taxis will operate daily from 9am to 10pm. 

At Al Ghubaiba Station, the water taxi will operate from 4pm to 10pm

At Dubai Marina station it will operate from 2pm to 10pm. 

From Jumeirah Palm Atlantis, the service timings will be from 4pm to 10pm. 

From Jumeirah Palm Station (Rexos) it will run from 11am to 5pm.

Dubai Ferry will operate at Al Ghubaiba and Marina stations during the Eid holidays at 11am, 1pm, and then at 3pm, 5pm and 6:30pm.

The working hours of traditional abra (boats) at Dubai Creek Stations (Al Ghubaiba, Al Sabkha, Baniyas, and Dubai Old Souk) will be from 10am to 12 midnight. The Blue (electrical) abra will operate at Burj Khalifa from 6pm up to 11pm, at Al Mamzar from 2pm to 12 midnight, and at Atlantis from 1pm to 9pm. The air-conditioned abra at Al Jaddaf will operate from 7am to 12 midnight.

All service providers and partner centres will be closed from 5 to 7 July 2016.
Interested?

View detailed Eid al Fitr timings for all RTA services

ERC launches multi-city co-working space in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

• Under the University Mentorship programme, lecturers will serve as mentors to provide guidance to the BIG Work community 
• Users can benefit from ERC's core competencies in their business domains, as well as consultations with incubator programme managers and resource management advisors 
• Guests of the BIG Hotel, which hosts international and startup business travellers, will be the first to be exposed to new products and services that are hospitality-related for research purposes

Entrepreneur Resource Centre Holdings (ERC) has launched BIG Work, the first co-working space that spans Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Screens at the top left show live celebrations in the other two locations.

Entrepreneur Resource Centre Holdings (ERC) has launched BIG Work, the first co-working space that spans Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. BIG Work is conceptualised to springboard the ideas of students and aspiring entrepreneurs into the regional economies with guidance from established mentors, available resources and infrastructures under the purview of ERC.

BIG Work is a co-working space concept that is supported by ERC’s domain experts in the hospitality, education, entrepreneurship, and real estate sectors. The concept allows users to maximise their access to experts and resources in each domain in a timely and efficient manner in developing their products and services.

In addition to the hot desks that BIG Work offers, users are also able to gain access to the private offices, lockers, mailer services, rental of meeting and seminar rooms, free Wi-Fi, printing and photocopying services, and free flow of tea and coffee.

As part of the ERC ecosystem, members of BIG Work can take part in a University Mentorship programme. Lecturers from ERC’s partner universities, which include the University of Greenwich, University of Wolverhampton and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, will serve as mentors to BIG Work’s community. Regular sharing sessions between academics, students, and BIG Work users will be scheduled for information and expertise exchanges to heighten the startup experience. 

Users of BIG Work can also benefit from ERC’s core competencies in their business domains, including expertise in the local and regional business landscape. Consultations with incubator programme managers and resource management advisors can be arranged to determine the feasibility and functionality of ideas.

Seven random facts about BIG Work.

The affiliated BIG Hotel can also act as a test bed. Hotel guests can be exposed to new hospitality-related products and services for beta research. 

“BIG Work is a unique concept of a co-working space that offers immediate access and resources to students, aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers, designers, business travellers or anyone in between who are keen to kickstart their entrepreneurial journey. Our regional approach would allow users and the community to have immediate support in furthering their offerings within Southeast Asia,” said Yen Ong, Group Chief Marketing Officer of ERC Holdings. 

“We understand the importance of nurturing the startup ecosystem in Asia, and believe that entrepreneurs should be equipped with the necessary resources that help bring their ideas to life. As such, in the upcoming months, we are channelling our efforts into building BIG Work Resource Hub where users can leverage the available resources from all platforms that we own.”

All three co-working spaces are strategically located in the business districts of Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok, boasting office spaces of 3,200 sq ft, 1,860 sq ft, and 3,500 sq ft respectively. BIG Work expects to expand to a total of 10 cities in Asia within the next three years.

Inspirational quotes at BIG Work Singapore.

Inspirational quotes at BIG Work Singapore.

Interested?

Prices range from S$9 for the day in Ho Chi Minh to S$500 a month in Singapore.

posted from Bloggeroid

Zyllem introduces for next-day delivery services in Singapore

Source: Zyllem.

Singapore logistics company Zyllem, one of the few same-day delivery players in Southeast Asia, today launched a domestic Next-Day delivery service for the Singapore market, where it has a customer base of over 30,000.

The Next-Day service is an extension to Zyllem’s Same-Day and Express delivery services portfolio. Zyllem’s Next-Day services has the benefit of a single pick up by one delivery partner, with sorting done in a secure facility.

“We received tremendous customer feedback for our Next-Day Early Access campaign which we conducted in March and April this year. Due to the positive early response and overwhelming demand, we are pleased to make our Next-Day delivery service available to the general public,” said Eric Ong, Zyllem Singapore Managing Director.

“While we have always excelled at delighting our customers seeking speed and reliability with our premium Same-Day delivery services, we recognise that there is a segment of market who want other options for less urgent shipments. Even in this competitive landscape, we are confident we can take on the Next-Day delivery market segment and apply our Same-Day delivery expertise to exceed customers’ expectations. Since the pilot, we have delivered thousands of parcels on a daily basis for established and well-known brands in the market.”

Zyllem is constantly looking for ways to grow its delivery partner network and offer a more comprehensive service. "Strong relationships between retailers and logistics providers have never been more important in ensuring positive experiences for end consumers,” said Noam Berda, Zyllem CEO & Co-Founder. “We are constantly seeking collaborations with both local and regional partners who are aligned to our vision of creating a leading logistics platform to serve the rapidly growing e-commerce growth in the region.”

Interested?

For a limited time period, Zyllem is offering introductory fixed rates that are as low as S$4 per parcel for high volume bookings. Book a delivery (an account is required)

Business district-based Collective Works is launched in Singapore

A common co-working space within Collective Works Capital Tower.

Singapore’s first CBD-based coworking space Collective Works has launched its second space, a joint venture with CapitaLand. The 22,000 sq ft, high performance ‘office of the future' occupies the entire level 12 of the 52-storey Capital Tower in Tanjong Pagar.

Collective Works has become known for its design aesthetic and superior attention to detail such as ergonomics, ambience, lighting and acoustic sound profiling. Technology infrastructure includes secure on-site server hosting, videoconferencing, IP telephony and redundant fibreoptic broadband.

Designed by interior architects Contrast Design, the office interior is based on the concept of unfolding space, with surprises around every corner. The office is divided into different zones, each tailored to boost productivity, facilitate connections and encourage collaboration.

Solutions for businesses range from hot desks, dedicated spaces as well as formal offices of different sizes. Quiet, secure meeting rooms, spaces for conference calls and brainstorm areas have all been built into Collective Works. There is also a studio for creation of media such as podcasts.

Jonathan O’Byrne, founder of Collective Works called co-working a "personal mission" that was born when he started his own business, but could not find "the right kind of workspace". "As a designer from a design background, I could create spaces and create solutions that could solve human problems," he said. "(It is about) improving the quality of work and improving the quality of workspace.

"Interest has been very strong and from a broad range of industries. We are in discussion with more than 60 companies looking to join Collective Works Capital Tower over the next few months. We are paying particular attention to mix of the community and Collective Works Capital Tower is proving to be diverse but consistently premium.”

Members in the new space include global venture capital firm 500 Startups as well as a number of marketing, computer programming and data analytics companies. There is interest from global financial, technology and law firms too.

O’Byrne added: “Across Asia we have witnessed an exponential surge in demand from entrepreneurs seeking more personal business solutions. Our new space and our premium community create a unique ecosystem for our clients within the prestigious Capital Tower.”

Wen Khai Meng, CEO of CapitaLand Singapore, said the two companies look forward to providing more exciting spaces to meet all business needs in future. He called the new Collective Works space a flexible, high quality working environment with opportunities to network, collaborate and share. “CapitaLand is a progressive and forward looking real estate developer and our coworking partnership with Collective Works exemplifies this," he said.

"This partnership leverages CapitaLand’s market leadership and extensive network. Besides reaching out to a vibrant new market, Collective Works Capital Tower will augment CapitaLand’s offerings to existing customers and corporate partners. To date we are excited to welcome a number of high profile members to Collective Works Capital Tower including 500 Startups who will undoubtedly bring new buzz to the Capital Tower community. Coworking is in line with CapitaLand’s ‘office of the future’ vision, where people work in hubs of collaboration, community and creativity. We will be watching this space keenly as it evolves.

"We will take care of your every need. Just sign up, and focus on your work," he said.

A living wall greets visitors at the reception area.

One of the many offices within Collective Works. All offices come with glass walls and similar furniture but are of different sizes to accommodate different business requirements.

The office has been designed with discussion areas in nooks and corners to stimulate creativity and collaboration.

Many of the common working areas have impressive views of the city.

Tables marked with the 'CO' sticker - for co-working - are meant for common use.

The Standing Room, so named because it is meant for discussions to take place among people who are standing, was conceived to change the dynamics of decision-making. 

Each meeting room has a touch panel outside showing when it has been booked.

Lockers for Collective Works members come in different sizes. Each locker has a combination lock of four digits instead of the standard three for extra security, and a slot at the top for mail.

Sound-proof phone booths for conference calls.

Coffee quality may seem like a small detail for a co-working space, but Collective Works came up with Custom Blend B from Colombian Arabica and Ethiopian Sidamo Cherry Red coffee varieties. The beans are blended and roasted by a boutique roaster in Singapore, processed in batches of only 20kg batches a month for freshness. Three blends were originally developed but Blend B was the favourite.

posted from Bloggeroid

Quandoo reports significant takeup in Singapore, Australia

Quandoo reports 720 restaurant partners, 1.5 million seated diners in the last 12 months and over 1,400 verified reviews from Singapore diners each month. The online restaurant reservation service, launched in Singapore in 2014, sees 53% of its Singapore users making repeat reservations. The company assessed publicly-available information of the industry and the respective market competitors by the number of connected partner restaurants, and has found it leads in seven markets around the world, including in Singapore, Hong Kong and Turkey.

The company, which also serves Australia, Lebanon, and the UAE in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, it has seen similar trends globally. The company grew its partner restaurant base by 117% from 6,200 restaurants to 13,500 restaurants and has seated more than 24 million diners globally. Quandoo’s penetration of Australia has been particularly fast. Within eight months 1,250 restaurants have joined Quandoo.

Philipp Magin, founder and CEO of Quandoo, said, “Our ambition remains the same: to be the driving force in the digitalising of the restaurant reservation space. The changes that we have undergone in the last year have allowed us to transform our company towards maintaining this objective in a more and more competitive market environment. While the cultural and strategic shift has not been easy to achieve, we are now better equipped than ever before in becoming the leading provider for restaurant reservations globally.”

Dr Charlotte Bruce, Quandoo Vice President Asia and Pacific, said, “Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures with great diversity of cuisines. In Asia, it offers one of the most sophisticated and world-­class dining scenes. Competition is fierce and Quandoo identified an opportunity to help businesses use this incredible platform to grow their business and stay ahead of the curve. We have been relentless in our efforts since day one and are proud of our position as market leaders – having gone against competition that have been in the market for up to five years.”

The company further established several alliances in the last year, partnering for example with Foursquare in Turkey. 

Collective Works to launch coworking space together with CapitaLand

Artist's impression of the new coworking space at Capital Tower, Singapore.

• The two companies will launch a high-end coworking space at Level 12 of Capital Tower, Singapore
• The 22,000 sq ft 50:50 joint venture can support up to 250 high performance businesses 
• The design offers tailored solutions for diverse uses, from startups to MNCs
• Technological support includes secure on-site server hosting, videoconferencing, IP telephony and redundant fibre-optic broadband

Singapore’s first CBD-based coworking space, Collective Works, has announced a joint venture with Asian property giant CapitaLand. The two companies will launch a coworking space at Level 12 of the 52-storey Capital Tower in Singapore’s business district that can accommodate up to 250 businesses over 22,000 sq ft.

Jonathan O’Byrne, founder of Collective Works, which offers business centre services with the heart and portability of a coworking space, has observed an exponential surge in demand from entrepreneurs seeking more personal business solutions across Asia. “Our partnership galvanises Collective Works’ position as the market leader in premium coworking spaces and will set the pace for our future growth," he said. “Our new space, centrally located in Singapore’s world renowned business district, creates a unique ecosystem for our clients within the prestigious Capital Tower where they can flourish alongside other entrepreneurs as well as global MNCs."

The 50:50 joint venture, Collective Works at Capital Tower, has seen strong pre-registration. Designed by expert interior architect, Contrast Design Pte Ltd, the radical office design offers tailored solutions for the diverse profiles of today’s high performance business executives, whether they need a quiet, secure meeting room, a vibrant brainstorm space or the use of an integrated media space.

Wen Khai Meng, CEO of CapitaLand Singapore, said: “With Capital Tower’s central location, connectivity to public transport, proximity to clients and partners, premium Grade A specifications and lifestyle amenities, we are confident that the coworking space at this premium building will appeal to a range of fast-growing businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers seeking to rent fully functional, fitted-out office spaces under flexible lease terms. Through thoughtful planning and creative design, members of the Capital Tower coworking space will have access to high quality, high-energy environments that are customisable to specific needs and conducive for networking, exchange of ideas, resource-sharing and collaboration. We foresee demand coming from sectors such as fintech, social media, technology, insurance, corporate training and venture capital investment.”

Collective Works has become known for its innovative design aesthetic and ergonomic approach. Technological support includes secure on-site server hosting, videoconferencing, IP telephony and redundant fibreoptic broadband with superior attention to ambience, lighting and acoustic sound profiling to enhance productivity and concentration in the bespoke offices.

Interested?

Request membership to register interest. Collective Works curates a symbiotic community and screens potential residents to ensure that each new company brings a new skill set to the community, not competition. Tenants can start moving in from May, and the official launch is in June.

Singtel debuts data-free music services

#Singtel Music launches with #Spotify, #KKBox, #MeRadio and #AMPed for S$7.90 per service, with no data charges

A video posted by J Tang (@techtradeasia) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:19pm PST

Singtel today launched Singtel Music, the first service in Singapore to offer customers music from providers Spotify, KKBOX, AMPed and MeRadio, with zero local data charges for a flat monthly fee.

Stakeholders in Singtel Music participate in the launch ceremony.

Customers can add Singtel Music to their mobile plan through obtaining premium accounts from Spotify, KKBOX, or AMPed. A premium account with any of these providers allows customers to stream millions of songs without affecting their data allowance. With Singtel Music they can also tune into 13 MeRadio stations without impacting data usage.

“Many of our customers are big music fans, but they hold back from listening to music on their smartphones for fear of busting their data allowance. With Singtel Music, they can now enjoy music on their phones without spending anything on data,” said Diana Chen, Vice President of Mobile Marketing at Consumer Singapore, Singtel.

“We’ve teamed up with some of the most coveted music providers and Samsung, our device companion, to give customers the ultimate music experience: freedom of choice, peace of mind at super values!”

Singtel Music customers enjoy:

 Unlimited data-free music streaming and downloading, and ad-free listening from either a Spotify, KKBOX or AMPed premium music account, with 13 of Singapore’s most popular radio stations via MeRadio

 Invitations to exclusive events including music showcases and artistes’ meet and greets. Samsung is the official device companion for Singtel Music and customers can look forward to exclusive music events and experiences powered by the latest Samsung devices and accessories.

 Option of S$7.90/month with a 12-month contract or S$9.90/month with no contract

“As Singapore’s most popular music streaming service, with one in three Singaporeans hooked up to Spotify, we’re very excited to be a part of the Singtel Music experience,” said Sunita Kaur, Managing Director, Spotify Asia.

“Spotify offers an unrivalled personalised music experience and we continue to break new ground with best-in-class features including Discover Weekly, your very own soundtrack delivered every week, alongside the best playlists, the latest charts and brand new releases.”

“We are truly excited to partner with Singtel to offer users an immersive and locally relevant music experience. As a pioneer in providing digital music service, KKBOX is currently available in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. We own the most comprehensive Asian digital music library and hope to break all possible barriers, and let music do the talking. With Singtel's new Singtel Music service, we believe both parties can bring music closer to music lovers,” said Josephine Cheng, Senior Vice President, KKBOX.

“This is a timely collaboration between MeRadio and Singtel as Mediacorp is marking 80 years of radio broadcasting in 2016. MeRadio will see a refresh by introducing a better interface for accessing all of Mediacorp’s 13 radio stations and other new features. We are constantly looking for new ways to enhance the listening experience for our users and offering free data makes it even sweeter for our listeners,” said Lai Mun Dart, Head of Youth Segment, Mediacorp.

The #Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge playing back radio #Singtel

A photo posted by J Tang (@techtradeasia) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:46pm PST

Interested?

All Singtel postpaid customers are eligible to subscribe to the Singtel Music. Customers can sign up for Singtel Music online or via any Singtel Shop. All they need to do is create a Spotify, KKBOX or AMPed account with Singtel Music to enjoy data-free music. Subscription charges will be included in the monthly Singtel bill. Register

posted from Bloggeroid